Registrar’s Directive: In-Person Witnessing at Cremations Prohibited

Effective April 22, 2020, crematoriums can only have authorized licensed personnel and employees present during their cremation operations.

In-person witnessing of cremation is not permitted. This change is necessary for the safety of the public and staff and is consistent with prior directives to not delay dispositions or store bodies.

We recognize that during this stressful time of hospital and long-term care lockdowns and limited funeral services, families may want to attend the crematorium to say their final goodbye.

We also recognize that some cultures prefer to participate in the cremation in some way. To that end, crematorium operators are welcome to consider alternative ways of responding to these requests if they do not impede operations, such as remote/online video viewing or play-back of the cremation, etc.